Wild betta splendens. Basically these fish were bred starting in the 1200s for aggression. As with anything, new forms popped up and the fighters were created. Then in the early 1900s the first new colors started popping up and eventually the long fin mutation started.

While I don't have wild splendens (true ones are considered rather rare now as most are hybrids), I do have some other species of wild bettas.

Essentially once tame, wild-caught bettas have basically the same personality as their domesticated cousin. They just tend to be more easily spooked and more prone to jumping out and making fish crispies of themselves.

Here's a picture of a Betta livida, which belongs to my favourite complex of wild betta species. He is also a camera hog so easier to get a good shot of than some of my others.

Wild bettas will not have long fins unless a mutation occurs. Veil, Crown, Halfmoon, Double Halfmoon, Delta, Double Delta, and anything I forgot to list are all long tail breeds that were specifically bred for those mutations. Short tails reign supreme in the wild for the sake of survival. However, there are domestic plakats that have the short fins that are beneficial in the wild, but they are bred for unnatural colors just like any other domestic betta.

So I would assume those bettas are wild because they have short fins and are a brownish color that helps them blend in with their enviornment. I pretty sure wild bettas come in more than one color. But I doubt any of them are bright irredescent pink.

Domesticated bettas come from splendens, imbellis, and smaragdina. These are thought to be the same species but there are slight differences. I'm thinking the long fin mutation came from imbellis which has longer fins than the other species in the males. Also things like dragons came from imbellis because of the thicker metallic scales.

Domesticated bettas come from splendens, imbellis, and smaragdina. These are thought to be the same species but there are slight differences. I'm thinking the long fin mutation came from imbellis which has longer fins than the other species in the males. Also things like dragons came from imbellis because of the thicker metallic scales.